1. Field of the Invention
This patent relates to a package having a unique dispensing feature allowing a consumer to remove product in single increments.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many products such as medications, bandages, dry mixes, snack foods and tea bags are used in single unit quantities but packaged in multiple unit containers. Few packages exist that conveniently release a single unit at a time.
Hermani U.S. Pat. No. 2,480,733 describes a powder dispensing container having an opening in a dispensing top and a slide which may be moved back and forth for opening and closing the slot. However, the Hermani device is a powder dispensing container and is not designed for dispensing discrete product units.
Other packages having dispensing slots are disclosed in the prior art. For example, Gresenz U.S. Pat. No. 1,935,905 describes a package for interfolded sheets of tissue paper having a slot which terminates at one end short of the end wall, thus preventing the withdrawal of a second sheet as incident to the withdrawal of a first sheet. Lorca U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,365 describes a container for dispensing small articles such as pills and capsules. The container comprises two spring loaded receptacles, one within the other, so that when the two receptacles are pressed together, openings in each receptacle become aligned, thus allowing the dispensing of the container contents.
Wyant U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,240 describes a package for dispensing towels having a dispensing slit through which the towels are dispensed one at a time. A layer of adhesive adjacent the slit holds the next towel in its partly withdrawn place until it is ready for use. Burshtain et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,093 describes a flexible bodied container for dispensing candy, pills and the like through a side slit. The slit is formed in an elastically resilient material attached to the inner surface of the container and is initially covered by a removable panel. During use, the container contents may be dispensed by squeezing the container sides which causes the slit edges to move apart. The slit automatically recloses after each use. Finally, Wang U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,220 describes a container for displaying and dispensing articles held in vertical troughs. The container has a scored strip 15 that when removed exposes a slot 12 through which the articles may be removed one at a time.
With the exception of Hermani, none of these references disclose a dispensing feature located in the container overcap. Furthermore, none discloses a container that can be inverted to remove a product unit.
Thus it is an object of the present invention to provide a container that allows for the controlled release of product.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a container which conveniently dispenses single product units.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a container wherein the dispensing feature is located in the overcap, thus requiring the container to be turned over to dispense product.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a container that allows the controlled release of product while maintaining retail shelf space appeal.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a single product unit dispenser that is easy and convenient to use.
Further and additional objects will appear from the description, accompanying drawings, and appended claims.